


Lie next to Me, Lad.. Underneath the Starry Commonwealth Sky.

by Just_Yaoi_Things_13



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Avoidant Personality Disorder (Black-Outs), Drunken sex, F/F, F/M, First Time with a guy, Friends to Lovers, Gay/Lesbian Relationships, Handcuffs, M/M, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), Slow Burn, Sole is British and of Irish Descent, Substance Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 01:31:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12545820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_Yaoi_Things_13/pseuds/Just_Yaoi_Things_13
Summary: MacCready just doesn’t understand this guy.. he’d been hired to watch Blythe’s back, yet he was always pissing people off.  Not just that, but he shouldn’t be catching himself staring at his boss like that so often!Yet, as time passes by, MacCready finds it harder and harder to keep control of himself.





	1. ‘Don’t be Daft’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A large pack of feral mongrels drives Blythe and MacCready into an old parking garage. It’s frigid and damp, and they take drastic measures to stay warm until they can find an escape route.

”Blythe!  Watch out!” MacCready yelled, shooting the mongrel between the eyes as it lunged for him.

He struggled to provide cover fire, eyes widening and hands trembling as he watched Blythe wrestle in the dirt with the pack’s alpha, his pale, freckled face twisted into a snarl.  It snapped its jaws at him, and he hissed in pain as one of its teeth split his left eyebrow.

”Ah, bloody ’ell!  Fucken _bastard_ , I’ll tear you limb from limb!” he spat, blowing back a chestnut lock as it came loose from his short, trademark ponytail.  He threw back his head, huffing angrily as he reared in for a head butt.  MacCready winced at the nasty crack as Blythe busted the dog’s skull.

MacCready’s blood ran cold as he heard several more of the pack closing in, their ragged claws scratching along the cracked road.  His heart pounded painfully in his chest as he frantically scanned the area for a safe place for them to retreat.

” _Blythe!_  Over here!” he shouted, looking for any sign of him.  He was nowhere to be seen.  The young mercenary started to panic as he searched for his boss, his heart stopping as he found him beside an old upturned car, out cold.

”Fu.. _crap._  Blythe.?” he knelt down and pressed his ear to Blythe’s chest, sighing in relief as he heard his heart beat.

MacCready glanced quickly behind them, listening for signs of the pack.  Nothing.  He stared down at his boss, his stomach knotted with worry.  It wouldn’t be long before the dogs picked up their scent again, and it was already getting dark.  He braced himself and gripped Blythe by the shoulders, grunting as he leaned into him and shifted to support his weight.

* * *

”.. _Ugh..._  Wha’ the..?  Mac, where are we, exactly?” Blythe drawled, making MacCready jump.  He’d been sitting against the wall, deep in thought when he’d woken up.

”Parking garage.  You were knocked out, I had no choice.”

”’S fucken _freezin_ ’ Mac.. you couldn’a picked someplace warmer?” he whimpered, whipping around to glare at MacCready.

”Oh, c’mon.. what should I have done?!  Just abandon you out there and leave you to the dogs.?!  You _hired_ me to watch your back, that’s exactly what I did!”

Blythe stared back at him awkwardly, hiccuping slightly as he shivered.

He frowned and let out an exasperated sigh, pushing himself up off the wall.  MacCready felt his cheeks burn as he padded up to the other man, silently hoping he didn’t notice him blushing.

He cleared his throat, suddenly nervous. ”L-listen, uh.. this is just survival.”

Blythe nodded, a muscle jumping in his jaw as he struggled to stay warm.  MacCready shut his eyes as he took off his cap, running a hand through his messy hair.

He stiffened when a warm hand grasped his arm, and his eyes widened as he was pulled in close, his breath coming out in gasps.

”’M fucken freezin’.. I don’t like the cold, Mac.  Don’t want to remember tha’ feeling, I jus’ can’t.” Blythe murmured softly in his ear, his breath tickling his neck.

MacCready couldn’t think, his mind a blur and his eyes slipping to half-mast as he folded under his touch.  He bit back a groan as Blythe curled up against him, nuzzling his face into the mercenary’s neck.

 _What the fuck am I doing.?!_ he asked himself as he was pulled closer again.  He turned to look at Blythe, breathing heavily.  ”I’m not doing this all the time.”

The other man hummed in response, and pushed himself up on his elbows as he met his eyes.  MacCready stared back at him, watching as he took down his ponytail and shook out his hair. ”Fair ’nough.” He said softly.

He felt his eyes grow large again as Blythe unbuttoned the shirt of his suit, tugging the string bow tie up over his head.  A long stitch ran down his lightly toned pecs and ended halfway down his taut rib cage, a strange old flag tattooed beside the scar.

”God save the Queen” Blythe breathed.  MacCready silently regretted looking at his boss like that.  He took another breath and shrugged off his duster.  

”Come ’ere.  I won’t bite, you know..” Blythe beckoned him closer.

He hesitated for a moment before scooting himself closer, jumping as he was tugged in further.  MacCready realized he’d never noticed the height difference until then as Blythe rested his cheek on his head, gently tugged him down and settled beside him.

Blythe sighed softly into MacCready’s hair, sending chills down his spine.  He tensed up, fighting the urge to moan as he felt his boxers growing tighter.

 _No, no.._ not _okay.  You can_ not _be turned on right now!_

Blythe mumbled something incoherent, holding him tighter, fast asleep.  He yawned sleepily as his own eyelids became droopy.

* * *

MacCready woke up feeling cramped and a little constricted.  Something warm was draped across his waist, a weight pressed between his thighs.  He frowned, his brain still muddled from sleep.

He tensed as he heard a soft sigh next to him, realizing that was an arm lazily hugging him closer.  ” _Fu.._ what the heck?   _Blythe.?!_ ”

”Mm..?” he drawled huskily.  “Wha’s wrong?”

MacCready sat up and looked down at him.  ”You.. y-you, and I.?  Last night?”

Blythe shook his head, rolling his eyes.  ”Nahh, wasn’t like tha’.” he gestured at MacCready’s crotch, his mouth curling up into a lopsided smirk.  ”I dunno, but I was sure you ’ad sommut else going on, down _there._ ”

MacCready groaned, rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes as he blushed.


	2. ‘Bloody ‘ell, Zues..’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MacCready gets the surprise of his life when Blythe drags him all the way back to Red Rocket for his ’best mate.’

”Ah, bloody ’ell!” Blythe blurted out.  He cringed, biting his knuckles.

”What’s.. so important?” MacCready asked slowly.  They’d been walking almost all day, and they were heading back to Goodneighbor to turn in the last job they’d done for Hancock.

”I fucken forgot all ’bout Zues!  My best mate, how could I ’ave forgott’n?!” he growled and bit his knuckles again.

”Who the hell is Zues?” He was so thrown off.  It was the weird crap Blythe said that MacCready couldn’t understand.

* * *

The sun dipped below the trees as the old truck stop came into view, and Blythe’s knuckle-chewing was starting to drive MacCready insane.

If this guy was his best friend, why would he be so nervous?

Blythe hissed loudly as his knuckle started to bleed, took a deep, shaky breath, and broke out into a sprint for Red Rocket.

”Zues?  You here, Zues?” He called.  ”Come on ou’ mate!”

MacCready’s breath caught in his throat as he heard the ground cracking under monstrous feet.

A Deathclaw bounded up to Blythe on all fours, tail waggling furiously.  It was male, from the look of its horns, but definitely a bit smaller than most that he’d seen before.  He gasped, fear and confusion mingling together as it dragged his boss into a bear hug, flitting its tongue out to lick at his face.

”What the.. this?   _This_ is Zues?!” MacCready stammered in disbelief.

”Tha’s right.  ’Atched him from an egg, found at Salem Museum o’ Witchcraft.” Blythe nuzzled Zues and sighed happily.  ”Zues would’a tracked me down, jus’ to be with his mate.  Wouldn’t ’ave been the firs’ time.”

MacCready tensed as Zues approached him with an air of curiosity.  ”H-hi, uh.. buddy?”

He bent down and sniffed him, the force of his nostrils blowing off his cap.  After a few moments of panicked anticipation, Zues ran off around the corner and came back with a deflated kickball hanging from his jaws.

”Ah, g’boy, Zues!” Blythe grinned at MacCready as the young Deathclaw dropped the toy at his feet.  ”Well, throw it, would’ja?”

* * *

It’d been a few hours since they’d set off for Goodneighbor again, this time with Zues pulling up the rear.  MacCready found it weird that, given he was a Deathclaw, he still turned tail and ran at any sign of trouble.  It just didn’t make sense.

As they approached Goodneighbor’s rusted old gates, MacCready relaxed for the first time all day.  Blythe fumbled through the pockets of his suit, pulling out a tattered pack of cigarettes and shaking it open.

MacCready reluctantly said ’no’ when he offered him a cigarette, and watched the twin trails of smoke hungrily from the corner of his eye as his boss indulged himself.

”Well, if it isn’t my dirty, little errand boy!” Hancock shouted cheerfully, strolling up to them from the old State House, Fahrenheit donning her usual shady grin as she leaned up against the ancient building.  The Ghoul looked from Blythe to MacCready.  ”Taking up with MacCready, huh?  That’s one hell of a gun to have at your back..”

He couldn’t help gloating.  ”I aim to please.”

He felt himself cringe as Zues bounded up to Hancock, expecting a bloodbath.  What he didn’t expect was the mayor’s reaction.  His mouth fell open as he watched the Deathclaw bouncing around like a giant, menacing puppy, practically purring — if Deathclaws could purr — as he was pulled down into a headlock and rubbed enthusiastically on the head.


	3. ‘.. What’re you doing.?!’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hancock throws a ’private party’ up in the loft of the old State House, and the three of them get really friggin’ drunk.
> 
> (I’m obsessed with those irresistible ”What.. are you..?”, and ”Please..” prompts I see from time to time when I read other people’s fanfics.)

”So.. sounds like Pickman’s Gallery was quite the shitshow.” Hancock chuckled darkly as he chose a Jet inhaler from the table.

MacCready half-listened as Blythe turned in their last job, eyeing the wisps collecting near the ceiling hungrily while his boss smoked his second cigarette.  The strange tattoo across the other man’s chest flashed back into his mind.  He hadn’t seen anything like it before; the closest thing he could think of were those old, Pre-War American flags, but..—

”Mac?” Blythe snapped his fingers, making MacCready jump.  He shook his head, disoriented.  ”You comin’, lad?”

”Where’re we going..?”

* * *

”.. and the blasted thing asks me ’will you comply?’  I decide to ’ave some fun with it, I’m _mocking_ it, an’ then.. it fucken _blows up!_ ” Blythe doubled over, laughing hysterically as he wiped tears from his eyes.

The three of them had been up in the loft of the old State House for the better part of the night, drinking and swapping road stories.

After a couple hours, Hancock lay sprawled across an old couch, and MacCready giggled uncontrollably as Blythe deliberately teased him, the funny part of it being his strange accent.

Suddenly, Blythe fell silent, and his gaze fell down to the mercenary’s lips.  MacCready swiped his tongue across nervously, and his eyes snapped to the motion.

His head swam as he struggled to think, and his heart raced when Blythe cupped his jaw, breathing heavily through his nostrils.  He leaned in and mouthed MacCready’s jawline, sending shivers down his spine as he fought to control himself.

Blythe let out a soft whimper, and MacCready realized he was getting hard.  His jeans were hugging uncomfortably tight around his crotch, and he _seriously_ hoped it was just the booze as his eyes slipped to half-mast.

MacCready leaned into the embrace just as Blythe pulled back, a look of fear on his pale face as he shied away.

”Wha..?  S’wrong?” he slurred, his cheeks growing very warm.

”I-I.. forgive me.” he stammered, his steel blue eyes widening.  And with that, he fled the building, forgetting his jacket.


	4. Night Terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MacCready goes after Blythe, and finds him at the Hotel Rexford, deeply enthralled in a nightmare.

MacCready lay where his boss had left him, blinking stupidly as he tried to process what had just happened.  He was a hired gun, he should’ve stopped Blythe.

He shoved himself to his feet and took the stairs two at a time, nearly tripping over his own feet more than a couple of times.

As he stepped out into the cold night air, he heard cracking floorboards, breaking glass, and angry, startled shouting from back inside.

_Great.. I woke up his lap monster._

MacCready let out an exasperated sigh and waited for the path of destruction to catch up to him, rolling his eyes and biting back his amusement when Zues let himself out, (gently?) opening the door.

”Alright.. c’mon, let’s find him.”

* * *

_Blythe awoke in an all too familiar place. Nate smiled softly and murmured something as he slept beside him, and he breathed in the aroma of bacon and eggs as they sizzled.  Monique called out to them, telling them breakfast was ready, and Nate groaned and lazily opened an eye._

_”Ah, quit your fussin’, love.” he smirked._

_”Do we have to get up..?” Nate pouted._

_”I don’t suppose so..” he teased, nudging his lover’s groin with his knee._

_They both hissed and shielded their eyes when Monique threw open the curtains and scurried off to a safe distance before proceeding to stare them down._

_”Escuse e’ mwah, Monsieurs!” she chirped in her thick French accent.  ”But I_ must _ask that you eat your breakfast!”_

_Blythe couldn’t shake the overwhelming air of deja vu as he opened the door and saw the Vault Tec representative.  Then it all came flooding back to him._

_Sergeant Hames calling Nate back to duty, the air raid sirens, the panic, the monstrous mushroom cloud racing toward them, Blythe hoping against all odds Nate would be alright, watching the vertibird and the world he knew disappear as they were lowered into the Vault.  Monique desperately fighting to keep ahold of Shaun, Blythe’s heart stopping as he heard the gunshot and saw their dearest of friends go limp, her now orphaned baby wrenched from her arms._

* * *

 Clara eyed MacCready as she handed him the room key, and for the slightest moment, he swore he saw her shoot him a worried look.  He shook his head and tottered up the stairs, bitterly hoping he didn’t have a hangover in the morning.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a pained shout down the hall.  He broke off into a run and turned the corner.  Blythe lay on the floor, hands clasped to his head, trembling and spluttering.

”... Blythe..?”

No response.

MacCready hesitated.  ”What’s wrong with you?”

He curled up into a ball.

He warily took a few steps closer and knelt beside him.  ”Hey, it’s alright.. just wake up.” he reached out and gently squeezed Blythe’s shoulder.

He flinched and opened his eyes, his breathing coming out in shuddering gasps.  ”Mac..?”

MacCready nodded slowly.

”So.. so I’m still ’ere, then...” Blythe smiled sadly and looked up to the ceiling.


	5. ‘...  Shut up..’

MacCready blinked.  ”What'd you mean, you’re still here.?”

Blythe took down his ponytail and shook his head.  ”It was nothin’, Mac.”

Without thinking, he took Blythe’s hand.  MacCready heard a sharp intake, but before he could let go, Blythe pulled him to his chest in a shaky hug.

”Blythe..?” MacCready breathed, his eyes widening as he felt his cheeks burn.

He said nothing, just kept holding him and shuddering.  MacCready realized Blythe was sobbing, and pulled back to look him in the eye.

”Uh, look.. I don’t know what you’ve been through,” he cleared his throat. ”but if you want someo—”

”I dunno, Mac.. you’d prob’lly think I’ve gone mad.”

MacCready’s breath caught in his throat as he felt his pants grow tight.   _What is wrong with me..?_ he wondered.

Blythe cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.  ”Think you might ’ave a fever.. are you olright, Mac?”

MacCready’s stomach knotted as he felt his crotch bulge, and he dragged Blythe in and kissed him.  He gasped, surprised, before kissing him back, winding his fingers into the mercenary’s hair.  His breath was coming out in short, little pants, and he whimpered loudly.

Blythe tugged him closer and slipped his other hand up underneath MacCready’s jacket, his fingers cold as ice as they found his nipple, sending a chill down his spine.

He pulled back for a moment and shrugged the jacket off, barely managing to throw it to the side before Blythe growled and pinned MacCready underneath him and kissed him again.  He bit back a moan as Blythe slipped his tongue into his mouth, his bulge throbbing in his pants.

”...  Suit.. get it.. off.” he forced out between pants.

Blythe wrestled himself out, MacCready hearing a few seams ripping in the struggle.  Tossing his clothes away, he looked at his pants expectantly.  MacCready raised his chin defiantly and smirked.  Blythe tugged them off agonizingly slowly, ghosting a hand along the crotch of his boxers, making him groan.

”Hush, lad..” he murmured softly.  MacCready whined as another chill went down his spine.

Blythe slid his fingers gently under the waistband, then pulled the boxers down and off.  MacCready impatiently bucked back up against his hand, begging.  Blythe bit his lip before pinning him again and seizing his member with an icy hand.

The mercenary felt his stomach twist tighter, his boner twitching dangerously as he bit back another moan.  Blythe bit MacCready’s ear, thrusting in against him.

” _Nnuh.._ n-no, wait!  I’m gonna—”

He spoke too late, bucking as he came into Blythe’s hand.

_What’s come over me..?_


	6. West Pike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After one hell of a fight, Blythe and MacCready take down Winlock and Barnes. However, it doesn’t take long until the merc realizes Blythe is acting strangely.

MacCready didn’t know whether to thank him, or ask him if he was insane.  They knew practically next to nothing about each other, but Blythe was so determined to help him.

”...  Are you sure about this.?” he asked nervously as the Gunner outpost loomed in the distance.

Blythe didn’t look back at him, just said, ”I won’t allow myself to fail.  I cannot, at leas’...” he paused, heaving a pained sigh.  ”Not again.”

’ _Not again?_ ’ MacCready asked himself.   _What happened before..?_

* * *

MacCready had dropped about seven of Winlock and Barnes’ men before Blythe managed to get himself noticed.  He lowered the scope of his rifle, burying his face in his hand.

 _Well.._ he shrugged off an annoyed smirk.   _At least I know who to name as the single worst guy to back me up from the rooftops._

”.. enemy detected.  Engaging hostiles.”

_Shit._

”Blythe!  Watch out!” MacCready shouted.

He heard one of the lift’s support beams snap, scrambling underneath the overpass into an odd, little burrow to dodge a barrage of bullets and sparks as Blythe caught himself on the crumbling highway.

”Bloody FUCKEN ’ell, I’ll _slaughter_  you right where you stan’, you hors’s ass!” he snarled.

* * *

Jasper awoke to ears ringing and blood boiling in anger.  He sighed in exhilaration as his face split into a demented smirk.

”Well, now..” he stretched out his limbs and mimicked an oblivious, childish innocence as he bided his time with the Assaultron.  ”Hello, my little puppets.

”Have you any inkling as to who you’re dealing with..?”

Jasper barely flinched, cheek stinging as a bullet grazed his face.  He giggled softly, biting his lower lip.

_Like lambs to the slaughter.._

* * *

MacCready clasped his hand to his mouth, his eyes widening as he fought the urge to vomit.

He would never unsee what lay before him.  Winlock’s chest had been ripped open, Barnes’ arm forced through his exposed rib cage so his hand touched the other corpse’s heart by the fingertips.

What was left of their squad lined the sandbags that had served as barriers.

MacCready spluttered as his breath caught painfully in his throat.  ”Blythe..?”

He heard a short hum in response.

”Er.. y-you alright.?”

Again, he heard humming.

”Uh.. let’s just get outta here, yeah?”

* * *

The journey back to Red Rocket was spent in an eerie silence.  MacCready had tried several times to get Blythe to speak, but each time he only yawned defiantly.

The sun dipped past the tree line as they reached the rundown truck stop.  MacCready was already ducking under the jammed garage door when he heard something tumble to the dirt with a loud _thud._

”Shit.. Blythe.?!” he rushed back outside.  Blythe was just visible in the washed out light from the truck stop, seemingly unconscious and unnervingly limp.

MacCready approached Blythe cautiously and knelt down beside him.  After a few minutes of attempting to rouse a response, he slung his pack off his shoulder and tossed it to the side.  He grunted as he lifted the other man and edged in closer so he could support his weight.

* * *

”Agh.. my fucken head.” Blythe rasped.  ”What the...  Mac.?”

MacCready dragged himself out of the bedroll he’d fallen asleep in and padded off to the room he’d left him in.

”Is everything.. alright?” he leaned back against the doorway.

Blythe looked up at him from the bed, steel blue eyes glinting in the darkness.  ”What.. what ’appened?”

He stared back, confused.  How could he have forgotten what they’d done?  He stepped up to the bed and sat down.  Blythe pushed himself up onto his elbows.

MacCready looked back, searching for the words.  ”You really don’t remember?”

A slight hesitation.

”’Aven’t a bloody damned clue _’ow_ I got back.”

”Well.. you were really quiet the way there, you seemed pretty tense.  You were on the lift when we got separated, I heard you cussing.  After a while, everything was silent.

”I found a way up there, and I saw just so—” MacCready suppressed a gag.  ”God.. there was so much blood...”

Blythe sat bolt upright, then.  ”Ah, fuck.. _no._ ”

He reached out his hand and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.  Blythe pulled him close and hugged him, trembling a bit.  MacCready sighed softly and burrowed his face in the crook of Blythe’s neck, an oddly familiar warmth in his chest.  They stayed like that for a few moments, the trembling calming down a bit before the mercenary felt him tense up.  He wasn’t sure, but he could’ve sworn he heard Blythe choke out what sounded like ’Jasper escaped.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The strange Jasper aspect introduced this chapter means a lot to me, on a rather personal front. I’ve always had odd flashbacks I could not for the life of me understand. I may be an atheist, but.. unlike most, I do believe in the paranormal. And as such, after I’ve struggled and failed to narrow an explanation down and debunk what I see without jumping to conclusions, the last concept left to mind tends to be that old past life theory. Since writing is by far my strongest passion next to gaming and sleeping, I brought forth the avoidant personality ingredient.


	7. ‘What is this, Valentine..?’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confusion, doubt, and denial wracking his mind, MacCready turns to Valentine for advice.

Blythe had led MacCready off to Diamond City to catch up on a recent case at the Valentine Detective Agency.  The young mercenary had found himself idling about the marketplace before long, ordered himself a couple noodle bowls, then chose to wander some more, practically bored out of his skull.

”Well, look who it is.” said a voice.

MacCready whipped around to see Nick Valentine himself, tattered trench coat and all.  The old Synth strolled up to him and patted his shoulder with his skeletal hand.

”Ah, damn.. I forgot to pick up that motor oil for you, Valentine..!” he teased.

Valentine rolled his eyes and chuckled.  ”Cute, MacCready.. you come up with that one, all by yourself?”

* * *

Valentine and MacCready caught up at the old Agency while they waited for Blythe to come back from the Dugout Inn.  It was nice, having a chance to just catch a break from it all.  MacCready sighed through his nose.

”Something bothering ya, kid?” Valentine eyed him quizzically.

MacCready wasn’t sure how to respond.  ”What do you mean.?”

”Nothing, really.. just that’s the fifth sigh this afternoon.”

He took a deep breath, hesitating.  ”Well, uhm.. lately, I’ve been having these...  Feelings.”

The Synth hummed thoughtfully.  ”Feelings, huh?”

”Yeah.. there’s something about Blythe.” MacCready let out a little nervous laugh.  ”Sorry, I’m not sure where that came from..”

Valentine brushed it off with a hand.  ”Look, kid.. I understand.  You’re afraid of what could happen, I get it.”

”But..?”

” _But,_ you have nothing to lose but a life spent wondering about what could’ve been.” he gave him a warm smile.  ”You’re in love.  Sounds to me like you should tell him how you feel.”

* * *

MacCready sighed and walked up to the bar.  Spotting Blythe almost immediately, he took a seat next to him.

”’Aye, Mac..!” he slurred.  He slung an arm across his shoulder, passing him a drink with his free hand.

Vadim cleared his throat.  ”You’ll be wanting a rroom with that one, eh?   _Irrish_ , always drrunk..”

He waved Yefim over, who tossed him a room key.  MacCready hid his face in his hands, blushing.  After a few moments, he gathered his strength and helped Blythe into the hotel room.

* * *

Blythe slouched on the bed with his back against the wall, humming to himself as MacCready latched the door.

The mercenary drew in a deep breath and looked at his boss.

”Blythe?” he heaved a long sigh.  ”Listen, um.. lately, you’re..—”

Blythe gave him a worried look.  ”Mac?  You ’olright?”

MacCready smiled gently and shook his head.  ”No, no.. everything’s fine.  I’m just..”

They both went silent for a moment.

MacCready closed the distance between them, pants tightening as he blushed deeply.  He abruptly realized that Blythe had no clue what was going on.

MacCready leaned over Blythe, breathing in the scent of whiskey.  He grabbed him by the shirt.  ”Kiss me.”

Blythe looked back up at him, puzzled.  ”What..?”

”Please..” he pouted.

MacCready didn’t wait for an answer.  He leaned in further, unable to think as he pressed his lips against Blythe’s, earning himself an ecstatic gasp.  He slipped a hand beneath the hem of the mercenary’s jeans, making him moan.

”Hush, lad.” he purred.  MacCready yelped when he felt gentle fingertips caress the length of his shaft.

” _Ahh-uh..!_ ” MacCready whimpered.  ”Fuck me, Blythe.. _please,_ just do it.!”

Blythe yanked his jeans down and off, his breath coming out in short pants as he leaned in close and moved his lips along MacCready’s penis.

MacCready whined uncontrollably, bucking upward on impulse.  Blythe didn’t so much as flinch, flicking his tongue as he sucked.

Butterflies fluttered wildly in his stomach as he felt himself throb.  Just as he was about to pull out, he came, letting out a little sigh of pleasure.

MacCready pushed himself up so he could see Blythe.  ”I didn’t.. uh.  In your mouth.. did I?”

Blythe’s lips curled up into a wry, lopsided smirk.  He nodded, licking his lips as he swallowed.


	8. ‘Nothing is as it seems..’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MacCready doesn’t know how to react after Blythe confides in him about his past.

MacCready watched Blythe while he tipped Yefim for the hotel room, leaning idly against the bar.   _Still.._ he thought.   _I’ve been traveling with him for several weeks, now.  But I hardly know anything about him._

Blythe looked back at him, shrugged his shoulders and jerked his head towards the door.  MacCready nodded and followed him outside.

”So.. so, Blythe?” he cleared his throat, taking off his hat and running a hand through his hair.  He hummed in response.  ”Y’know, we’ve been watching each other’s backs for a while, now..”

Blythe stopped and turned around, studying him.  ”Tha’s right.. what of it, Mac?”

”It’s just.. well, after all this time, I still don’t know anything about you.”

He noticed the other man tense up, face going pale.

_What doesn’t he want me to know..?_

* * *

They’d walked for hours, headed back to the truck stop.  A cool breeze rustled through the trees as the old rusted rocket came into view, and MacCready was already starting toward the garage when he realized Blythe was nowhere to be seen.

”Huh?  Where’d he..” he trailed off.  He could just see Zues’ tail as he stalked off across the weathered bridge that led to an old ruined neighborhood.

MacCready wandered after him, wondering where it would lead.  He’d never actually been to this particular side of the river, and he couldn’t help noticing most of the houses looked pretty untouched compared to most ruins he’d explored.

Something caught his eye, he walked up to an ancient oak tree.   _N. D. + B. C._ was scratched into the bark on one side.. why did that seem so familiar?

MacCready shrugged and looked around him, realizing he’d lost track of Zues.  He saw Blythe’s telltale vermillion Pip-boy light as it shone up over a hill, letting out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

”Blythe!  What’re you doing out here.?” he called as he finally caught up to him.

Blythe jumped, whipping around to stare at him, eyes very wide.  His face was pale as a sheet, and he looked almost sad.

”Mac.. what..?” he looked away.  ”I don’t want you ’ere.”

MacCready’s heart sank.  He shook it off, glaring back at him.  ”What the hell’s _that_ supposed to mean?!”

Blythe winced and went into an old trailer, slamming his fist down on a button.  Construction lights spluttered to life, revealing an old Vault.

 _Vault 111.._ he read quietly.  He followed Blythe onto the platform, pushing back bad childhood memories as it carried them down.

* * *

Blythe walked through the Vault, his legs feeling more and more heavy with each step.  MacCready trailed after him, and he felt better for it, not having to face his past alone.  They reached his corridor after what felt like hours of uneasy silence, and Blythe stopped and turned around.

”What.. what is this place..?” MacCready asked slowly.

Blythe took a deep breath.  ”I.. was trapped ’ere.  Kept in sum’ kind of cryo freeze for two ’undred years, or so.”

He told him how he’d been alive since before the War, came to the States from the U.K.. Blythe had never been in the military, the jacket he always wore had belonged to Nate, and they’d been secretly married before he’d gone overseas, since gay marriage was always illegal, banned in the troops, especially.  Monique, her late husband, James, and her missing son..

The mercenary stared back at him, confused.  After a moment he seemed to relax just a little.  ”I-I guess it does make sense.. I mean, you’ve always had that thing around your wrist, and...  Honestly, you’re definitely not like anyone else I’ve ever met.”

MacCready came a little closer, his face softening.  Blythe felt himself jump when he pulled him into a hug.  He sighed and leaned into him, savoring the embrace.

”I love you.” Blythe heard himself say.  He immediately blushed, shoulders stiffening.

* * *

MacCready blinked.  ”...  What..?”  He pulled back so he could see Blythe’s face.  Blythe avoided his gaze, suddenly finding more interest in his own feet than him.

He cleared his throat awkwardly.  ”Er, nothin’.”

MacCready felt his cheeks grow warm.  Blythe froze as he leaned in close and kissed him.  He couldn’t stop himself, his breathing coming out in short little pants, crotch aching pleasantly with arousal.

MacCready grew more desperate, letting out a soft whimper and pushing Blythe up against the wall, cupping his jawline with one hand and effectively pinning him with the other.  He moaned as Blythe’s fingers found his groin, thrusting eagerly into his grasp.

”Well.. we’re not misbehaving _are_ we, lad?” he teased.

”Sh.. _shut_ up.!  You’re so unfair!”

Blythe tugged slightly, making MacCready shudder as he fought to control himself.  He bucked unintentionally, his eyes fluttering shut as he lost it.

He fought impatiently with the buttons of Blythe’s shirt, completely giving up with the tight knot on the string bow tie, forced the shirt open, and then pulled the bomber jacket off just a little past his shoulders, exposing his chest and midriff.  Blythe moaned as MacCready sucked his left nipple, flicking his tongue up and around and biting at the clavicle.

”Master Desmond?  That you..?” called a somewhat tinny voice.

MacCready ignored it, enjoying himself far too much to stop.  He shrugged off his duster and stripped himself down.  Blythe whimpered, shuddering a little as the young mercenary began slowly grinding his exposed groin up and against his, gradually growing more fiercely impatient.

” _Mac.._ ” Blythe murmured huskily into MacCready’s ear.  Mac felt himself twitch and throb as he came.

A Mr. Handy unit with a lopsided bowler hat appeared in the corridor’s entryway, optics widening as he saw what had just happened.  ”Oh, dear me..” it grasped at the hat and held it awkwardly with a claw.  ”Ah, but Master Desmond?  Zues has been awfully restless.. I dare say he tore up another sofa, ran off after you.  I followed his tracks, found him curled up outside, tuckered out.”

”Damnit.. Mac, this would be Codsworth.”


	9. Down the Rabbit Hole..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suffice it to say this is a little sneak-peek into what our dynamic duo will be going through in the chapters to come.

  Blythe ran.  His only driving instinct was to run, and so he ran.  He willed himself not to hear the outside world, or Mac as he fought with all his strength to chase after him..

  ”Blythe.!” he heard MacCready’s voice from the distance.

  Blythe dared not to look back.

* * *

  MacCready felt his legs give out underneath him, allowing himself to drop to the ground as he hugged his knees.

  _Why do I keep trying..?_ he thought, tears welling up in his eyes.

  His eyes saw nothing, blinded as he lost consciousness.

* * *

  Zues crept along the path, ignoring the shaking soil beneath his feet as he followed a scent.

  He could taste blood on the wind, and that frightened him a bit.  Zues shook his head, pushing away the thought.  It was useless.  He must find some way to..–

  He lost focus as a small bird skittered past.  It was white, with moon-spots and yellow all over, blue on its chest.  He watched it sadly as it landed on his snout, chirping and tweeting and tilting its head at him.

  ”Q..uill!”

  Zues gave it a weird look.  ”Goff.”  He rumbled.  The bird refused to go away.

  ”Q..uill!” it sang.  ”Q..uill!  Q..uill!”

  The Deathclaw rolled his eyes, ignoring the pest.  He went back to tracking down the Blythe and his Mac, morosely wishing he’d find them soon...

* * *

  MacCready awoke feeling hollow and empty inside.  He didn’t bother turning to look around or trying to get up.

  He sighed to himself as he felt his stomach growl.   _I don’t even see why I should try, anymore.._


	10. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blythe has been missing for two weeks, now, and MacCready is barely holding up. He’s tired, broken, no will to keep pushing, and lying to their friends about the sadness and anger he’s bottling up inside.

“MacCready, at least try to interact with us.. we’re your friends, you know?” Piper had been relentless the entire week, hardly giving MacCready more than a moment to himself at times.  He knew she was concerned, everybody was.

Blythe still hadn’t come back.  Nobody had seen him at all since he’d bolted that day.  He’d asked everybody he could think of, from Hancock, to Valentine,  _hell_ , he’d even gotten desperate enough to mention Blythe’s disappearance to the Brotherhood of Steel, Danse had dropped everything to try and help out.

MacCready sighed.  Maybe it was his fault.  Maybe he shouldn’t have let his guard down, shouldn’t have put so much trust in him.

He hated himself.  Blamed Blythe, even.  He just wanted to be left alone.

* * *

Danse scanned the horizon, searching for signs of the missing Knight.  He’d had patrols scouring the Commonwealth for Blythe for almost two weeks, by now.

He knew the Knight would never look at him that way.  But he still saw him as a friend.  And he saw the way MacCready looked at Blythe, and how he’d looked back.  If nothing else, if not even for the Brotherhood’s sake.. he had to find him.  That mercenary cared about Blythe.

* * *

 _What am I doing?_  Blythe asked himself.  He wondered if MacCready was alright.   _Who m’ I kidding.. he prob’lly hates me._

”Rhys, don’t be like that.” said a familiar voice.  Blythe ducked down, hiding behind a dead bush.

Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys were walking along the cracked road.  Shite.. were they looking for him.?

”Why?  I mean, what did Danse think would happen?  That he’d actually stick around?  Commit to being a part of the Brotherhood?!”  Rhys scoffed.

”Yeah, well.. regardless, that doesn’t matter.  We have orders to find Knight Catan, and it’s the right thing to do.”

Blythe’s heart hurt.  What was he doing..?  Not only did he run out on MacCready.. he abandoned his friends.  And all because he wasn’t human.

He was a Synth.  He’d found out about it when he’d seen Kellogg’s life, back in the Memory Den.  He knew it had to be true. Why would they have left him alive?

They hadn’t.

* * *

“Danse.  I’ve received a report on the whereabouts of Knight Catan.” Maxson paused for a moment.  Danse turned to look at him, his heart skipping a beat.

”Have they found him?” he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer.

Maxson nodded.  “Yes.  Apparently, the Knight turned himself in.”

Danse raised an eyebrow.  “Are you sure?”


	11. ”Don’t you dare.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Heads Up**  
> There’s a bit of angry sex in this chapter..

MacCready ignored the man standing behind him.  He couldn’t believe Blythe thought he could just ditch everybody like that, come back, and just  _expect_ everything to be okay.

”Mac.. please.” he begged.  ”At leas’ look a’ me.”

He looked back, furious.  Blythe stiffened, fear and sadness in his grey eyes.

* * *

”You’re lucky I even give a  _shit_ , anymore.” the mercenary’s tone was cold.  He looked like he wanted to shoot him, right then and there.

”I.. I-I won’t badger you, anymore.  ’M sorry.” Blythe choked out a sigh and walked off.

He didn’t feel right staying at the Red Rocket, given how pissed MacCready was.

As soon as he reached the doorstep of his old house, he fell to his knees and sobbed.

* * *

He’d hung around the old truck stop for hours, now.  He’d cleaned off his rifle five times by now, punched a hole in the wall,  and cried himself to sleep.  He just lay there on his bed, staring up at the ceiling of the decrepit building.

_Screw it._

He refused to just sit around and do nothing. __

* * *

 

Blythe felt a sharp pain in his side.  He sighed through his nostrils, slowly opening his eyes.

”Mac.?”

The mercenary stood over him, glaring down.  He kicked him in the side again.

”Get up.”

Blythe just stared at him for a moment, puzzled.  Not wanting to get kicked again, he obeyed, grunting in pain as he sat up.

”What’re you—” MacCready grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him in and kissing him hard.  He froze, unsure of what was happening.

”Shirt.  Lose it.” the mercenary ordered.

Blythe tugged it up and off over his head, tossing it to the side. ”Shouldn’t we—”

He was cut off again when he felt a hand on his crotch.  MacCready shucked off his jacket and shirt, pulling Blythe’s hand to his own neck.

* * *

 

MacCready thrusted against Blythe, gripping his shoulder for balance.  He moaned in pain, unable to speak coherently as he was driven into the ruined cement.  Why was he letting this happen?  Was it guilt?

”M-Mac, please I’m gonna—”

Too late.  He came onto the ground and sagged, the strength sapped from him as he and the mercenary pulled apart to catch their breath.

”Why’d you leave me?” MacCready asked in a small voice.


End file.
